Just Maybe
by Mystearica
Summary: Hisuka didn't know why she was doing this. - Set during 'The First Strike'


Hisuka didn't know why she was doing this.

She made her way out to the stables, a blanket draped over one of her arms. After everything that had happened, Lambert's death … she knew Yuri wasn't taking things well. She wasn't, either, but she couldn't shake the feeling of needing to make sure he was doing okay. Shastere had already spent quite a bit of time hugging and comforting her after being filled in on everything that had happened during her and the Captain's absence, and that had made her realize that Yuri needed someone to be that comfort for him.

And, quite frankly, she hadn't seen anybody jumping up to be that person. She had quietly volunteered.

He had been in the stables with Repede since returning from that battle. She knew he had been. Yuri didn't want to leave Repede alone after he'd been forced to slay Lambert like that. So, after grabbing a blanket to make sure that he would stay warm during the night, she made her way out there. Upon arriving at the stable that Repede was kept in, she opened the door a little and poked her head inside.

The strong, disrespectful, smart-assed Yuri Lowell was asleep, curled up alongside a sleeping puppy. It was honestly one of the most adorable things Hisuka had ever seen, and her surprise and enjoyment of the scene before her showed on her face in the form of a light blush. A small smile crossed her face, and she quietly made her way into the area, closing the door behind her as quietly as she could and stepping lightly over to where Yuri and Repede lay. She unfolded the blanket and gently laid it over the sleeping form of the younger man, making sure he was well covered before standing with a sigh.

Hisuka gazed at him for a long time before deciding it was best to just leave him be. She turned around with every intention of leaving the stable …

… but then a foreign feeling caught her and caused her to tense and stop dead in her tracks. Something took her hand and held her there. Hisuka slowly turned around to see who or what was holding her back, only to see Yuri, one eye open, shit-eating grin on his face, one arm out and his hand latching onto hers. Hisuka's eyes narrowed. She cast a sidelong glare at him, but didn't make any moves to leave again.

"Don't I get a 'thank-you'?" She asked. Yuri grinned and pulled her back, earning a yelp from Hisuka as she fell back on top of Yuri.

"What the hell, Yuri?" Yuri grinned sheepishly at her. Hisuka sighed, rolling over to his side and laying in the hay next to him.

"Good to know you're feeling a little better, at least." Yuri exhaled a little, averting his gaze to the roof of the stable.

"Actually, I feel like shit."

Hisuka looked over at him, her face falling into a concerned expression. Yuri turned to look at her as well.

"How are you? Get all the blood off?"

Hisuka flinched at the mention of blood. She rose her hand over her eyes, inspecting once again to see if there was any blood still there. There was none. She'd done a good, thorough job of cleaning herself up. But still … she could see it. She could see the blood that had been there previously, and she couldn't get the image out of her head.

She shut her eyes tightly. Yuri rolled over onto his side and looked at her, his face also fallen into concern. Not that she could see it.

"Still seeing it, I guess." Hisuka nodded quietly. Yuri sighed and lay on his back again.

"You never really stop seeing it, do you?" Yuri asked her. Hisuka finally opened her eyes a little bit, staring up at the roof of the stable they were in.

"Not for a while," she confessed quietly. "It gets better over time. New wounds to worry about, new experiences to have nightmares over …"

"It's just like how I can't stop seeing the look in Lambert's eyes before I killed him," he confessed as well. Hisuka shivered a little. The two remained quiet for a small amount of time before Yuri poked his superior in the shoulder. Hisuka looked over toward him.

Yuri held one end of the blanket she had lay over him, as if he were offering it. But that was crazy, right? Yuri wouldn't do that. He just wouldn't.

And yet, here he was, offering it to her as if it were the most natural thing in the world.

It wasn't.

Hisuka gave Yuri an incredulous look, wondering what in the world had come over him. Yuri's expression didn't change.

"Do you want it or not? This offer won't be here forever, you know."

Hisuka's face fell into a deadpan sort of pout.

"Who are you, and what have you done with Yuri Lowell?" Yuri only smirked, and continued to hold out that end of the blanket. Hisuka rolled her eyes and crawled on over.

The two of them fell silent after they were both comfortable under the blanket. The both of them looked up at the ceiling of the stable they were in. The only sounds came from the crickets' night song outside, and the faint snoring of a sleeping Repede nearby. Despite how quiet it was, however, the two of them were fairly comfortable.

Soon enough, it wasn't just Repede who was snoring. Yuri had fallen asleep again, and was snoring rather loudly. Hisuka suppressed a giggle, and figured that was her cue to leave. Before she could, however, she felt an arm wrap around her waist, pulling her close to another warm body.

"Hey. Promise me you'll get some sleep tonight," his voice whispered into her ear. Hisuka couldn't help the shiver that coursed through her body for the second time that night, or the flush on her cheeks from how close they suddenly were. Even still, she nodded.

"I promise."

"Good." And just like that, he let her go. It didn't take long for Hisuka to make her way out from underneath those covers, and out of the stable, leaving both comrades behind and wandering back toward her and Shastere's shared room.

She hugged herself as the night breeze hit her bare arms. Her cheeks were still warm, and she could still feel his breath on her ear. Her heart pounded, the pace having quickened without her even realizing it. Hisuka stopped midway through her journey to return to her room. Her hand placed itself over her still rapidly beating heart.

No. No, there was no way. There was no way she had any interest whatsoever in Yuri Lowell. Not now. Not _ever_.

Yet, as she stood there, she knew that her heart and body were telling her what her mind was so vehemently denying. Over the time she had spent as Yuri's superior, the two of them had done nothing but bicker. Yuri had always been a troublemaker. She had always been bent on setting him straight. She had always wanted to see him succeed as a knight, even though the man acted nothing like one.

But that interaction had also made them closer: Not only as comrades, but as friends.

And maybe, just _maybe_ …

Hisuka's hand moved from her heart, and proceeded to slap herself, hard, on her forehead. She groaned.

This couldn't be happening.


End file.
